What to expect when you go racing on your bike

 Racing on your bike can be a lot of fun and can also end up being pretty rewarding as well. The moments right before your race, however, are pretty nerve wracking. If you manage to get the necessary preparations done during this time, then the rest of the actual race will probably be very enjoyable. By about fifteen minutes before the race is about to start, you should have already warmed yourself up thoroughly and filled up your water bottle. Not to mention, you should have already gone to the bathroom as well and should now be waiting in the starting area. Basically, you should be completely ready to go. Remember to secure a good position once the officials say that it is ok to do so. Try to get as close to the front of the group as you can. The race should actually start off with the phrase “racers ready” and then there should be a gunshot or a whistle of some sort. However, in some cases, racers are allowed to start on the announcement, without a whistle or shot. You should ask an official about this beforehand. 

When the race starts you want to be one of the first ones out. As the race get going keep with the pack. Those who can’t handle the pace will drop back causing gaps, and gaps are very hard to close. Whether on the road or a track, avoid having a gap.  Keep the pace line tight so you can draft and conserve energy. Avoid sudden motion, swerving and unnecessary hard braking. Watch for flat tires.  On a Criterium you get a free lap… no such luck on a mountain bike trail. Drink lots of water during the race. It’s important to stay hydrated for your best performance.

If you have dropped back from the pack, finish the race. Finishing your first race is a great sense of accomplishment. However the officials may not let you finish if you’ve been lapped or another race has started.

In a Criterium, the lap card will show 1 and a bell will ring to announce the last lap. Mountain road races will have posting when you near the end. At that point sprint if you have it in you. Stay in control.  Don’t swerve, causing a crash. Once you’ve finished If you think you’ve placed, make sure the officials have your number. Then leave the officials alone. They will post the results when they’re ready. While you wait you’ll probably want something to eat. They usually have bananas and other goodies.

After the race is over ask yourself how you did.  Don’t be discouraged if things didn’t go quite as well as you planned. Watch the other race class events. Talk to other racers. What kind of pointers they can give you? The first race is the roughest one for most racers.

Use what you have learned and apply it to your next race.